


The Fisherman

by queer botticelli (botticelli_venus)



Series: Valentine can't flirt [3]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Male OC - Freeform, Male Player, Muse - Freeform, Pining, Slow Burn, Stardew Valley Expanded, catching crabs with the boys, elliott is Extra, elliott is a Lot, elliott is so romantic, elliott knows latin words, mature later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29109372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/botticelli_venus/pseuds/queer%20botticelli
Summary: Valentine didn't expect his gay panic to follow him to Stardew Valley, but with a strangely high number of single people his age (seriously, the town population it over half single people his age), he doesn’t have much chance of surviving this impulsive move single for long.*“I never see you at the beach, doesn’t it call out to you? Is it thalassophobia? I too feel small against the crashing waves at time.”Valentine blinked, wondering what a ‘thalasso’ was, and why he would fear it.
Relationships: Elliott/Male Player (Stardew Valley), Elliott/Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Valentine can't flirt [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2125977
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Elliott was my first husband on my first save file, and i love this sparkly little twink with my whole heart <3 Please let me know any requests!

Valentine was never one for beaches, it was from living so long in cities. He had never really had any of those little trips out as a child, his Mother shared his hatred for sand and slimy seaweed. Still, the fisherman Willy had been bothering him to come to his shop for a while now. It had become something of an awkward obligation, the other staring at him from across the Stardrop Saloon, trailing after him in Pierre’s shop. He felt mildly threatened, in a fun way. Like being hunted down by a bear that smelt like fish and Old Spice.

He walked down the little stone bridge that led to the seafront, trailing his fingertips over the age smoothed rock. He really should have come sooner, he promised he would stop avoiding things that made him uncomfortable, stop dodging out on life experiences that would just help him in the future. Be brave! That was his new motto. He hated it, but he was going to make it happen.

* * *

Willy had loaded him up with things he wasnt sure he needed. Bait, fishing hooks and lines, weirdly some broth that the other man had pressed into his hands with a little wink. Like a well-meaning Grandfathe- if his Grandfather had a huge beard and very little personal hygiene.

Valentine sighed gently, adjusting his bag on his shoulder, balancing it carefully. He wasnt sure what he was meant to do with all this, maybe it was just a new thing to practise. New skill. He was getting sick of learning new things, his brain felt full to burst. He already had grains of sand in his boots, and he itched for a shower. Even the few seagulls peaking and clawing at the sand did nothing to lighten his mood, cute as they were.

"Dear farmer! Valentine!"

Valentine frowned, slowly turning and making sure his fishpole wouldn’t go toppling from its resting position on his shoulder. Elliott? A bright flash of ginger hair, almost golden under the morning sun. He had seen the other in passing, glimpses in the bar, bent over some paper in the library. He had heard about him. This place wasnt one for mean spirited gossip, but he knew some of the other residents muttered about him, half smiles on their lips. 'city boy', 'tourist'. It made Valentine realize that he would be spoken about much the same way if he hadn't devoted himself so much to his Grandfathers farm. It made him feel strangely protective. Him and Elliott were alike in wanting to get away from the big city. Though, Valentine thought with a small amount of fondness, that was where the similarities probably ended. Elliott was draped in a long red jacket, an open necked white shirt. He was made purely of sharp angles and long limbs.

His hair looked nice, tied back, the tails of the black ribbon draped over his shoulders. Striking.

"Elliott." He called back gently, offering a half wave, his fishing pole dipping dangerous off his arm, making him grapple to try and catch it.

"I was hoping to see you."

"You where?" He didnt mean to sound so openly surprised, and Elliott laughed gently, nodding his head.

"Yes, yes! I was hoping you could help me."

Valentine started, first at Elliott, and what looked like a duck feather sticking out his pocket. A horse and carriage away from looking like an extra in a period drama. Then down at himself, his muddy boots, baggy jeans and stained top. He wasnt sure what he could help with. He told Elliott as much.

"Nonsense! Silly, of course you can. Come on, I have a reading. For my book!" Elliott rushed, and Valentine stared, before he gave a slow nod.

"Oh, the one you're writing. The uh-"

Valentine frowned, desperately trying to think, Elliott had been rambling about it the other night, noisy in the Saloon.

"-Romance? Book."

Elliott seemed elated, clapping his hands together, long fingers clasping in a knot. Valentine wondered how someone could look so painfully out of place and so comfortable at the same time.

"Yes! And _Valentine_." Elliott sighed, in a way that made Valentine’s cheeks prickle with heat. "Valentine, isn’t it perfect? The perfect name to come to the romantic reading, isn’t it? Dont you think?" Elliott continued, and Valentine found himself nodding almost instinctively, whipped into the bubbly aura of the other. It was addictive.

"So, you'll be there?" Elliott pressed, and Valentine hummed, before frowning.

"The reading? Shit, yeah, um. When is it? Again?" Valentine asked, a little dumbly, and Elliott gave him a little self-indulgent smile. The long pale hands patting at his shoulder, making Valentine shiver.

"This Wednesday."

"Wednesday! I'll see you there!" Valentine grinned, surprisingly perked up by the idea. He did avoid the library normally, unless he was dropping off a gem or some strange little artifact he found in the earth. It reminded him too much of being tired and in university. But with Elliott there, maybe it would feel nicer. Less like the dark memories of being stressed.

“I’m so glad I could catch you and ask you to come. I was going to make the journey to the Farm but its just so far away.” Elliott continued, breathy, and Valentine wondered if a half hour walk through town was really that far, or if the other was just unuse to walking. He didn’t see the sort for walking or work really. It felt like a cruel assessment, but true none the less. “I never see you at the beach, doesn’t it call out to you? Is it thalassophobia? I too feel small against the crashing waves at times."

Valentine blinked, wondering what a ‘thalasso’ was, and why he would fear it.

“I’m not the biggest fan of sand?” Valentine admitted, and Elliott nodded, as if he had revealed some dark secret.

“I see, worthy reason to avoid this little cove. You should come by more; the sea delivers the most beautiful shells and creatures.” Elliott continued, and Valentine briefly wondered if he was being seduced by a Siren. Suddenly the thought of sand in his boots was appealing.

“Yes! Yeah, sure. I mean, I’ll see when I can get away from the farm, come and visit- “you “-the waves…” Elliot was delighted, he could tell by the large smile on his face, and Valentine wondered if the other was even capable of frowning.

“Say, after my reading, I’d love to show you some of my favourite little areas of this beach, wont you come back with me?” He asked, his hand still heavy on his shoulder, and Valentine just kept nodding.

“I’d love to.”

“Superb!” Elliot was gone and walking off across the beach with a ruffle of his jacket and a swirl of his golden hair, Valentine watching after him with wide eyes and a painfully thumping heart. Elliot had started to chat to a rather confused looking Willy on the pier, and he took a small step back, adjusting his bag of bait and small smile creeping up on his lips. Maybe he could practise fishing out here, make the ‘journey’ as Elliott called it. Wear two sets of socks so the sand wouldn’t get between his toes.


	2. Rough handed muse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally do NOT believe in proof reading. It comes out my brain and I make y'all read it. Im sorry

Elliott had been true to his word, catching Valentine by his elbow as soon as his reading was over, after he had flustered and accepted the compliments of others about his book. It felt secret, the way Elliott had winked at him, tugging him across the bridge with linked arms as they headed to the beach. He had helped him across a narrow plank over a rush of water, settling his hands on his shoulders and laughing at his protests as he was pushed to sit down on a rock, overlooking a little dip of water on the beach. Elliott had sat beside him, uncaring of the sand, kicking off his shoes with impatience. Valentine had been a little more reluctant to follow, he hated the feeling between his toes, but seeing how happy Elliott looked he felt compelled to do the same. The water, which at first had looked so deeply unremarkable, was teeming with life. Bright little growths under the seawater, each inch of the rock pool covered in little limpets and barnacles. Beautiful.

"What did you think?"

Valentine looked up, his hair catching the sea breeze and dipping into his line of sight, he pushed it back impatiently. Elliott was watching him, his hair tied back again, this time in a low ponytail, the ends of his hair flicking and dancing in the wind. The weather had been gorgeous that morning, Valentine almost regretted not being able to be outside. The library had been stuffy, the bodies of other villagers warming it up, and Elliott had forgone his red coat. Instead, he had done his reading in his green waistcoat, the sleeves of his white blouse folded up by his elbows. He had surprisingly strong forearms, covered in dark little spatters of freckles and moles.

"Amazing." Valentine admitted sincerely, remembering how he had sat beside Leah on a beanbag, his eyes wide as he listened to how Elliott read. He curled over his words with practise, like he had spoken the paragraph of his books hundreds of times before, though he probably had. He did write it after all. Elliott smiled, and Valentine wasnt sure if the pink on the other cheeks was from the sun, or from his soft-spoken compliment.

"It still has its flaws, maybe because I created it, I can see it more keenly than others." Elliott deflected, his long fingers trailing in the water of the pool in front of them, smiling as he stroked the bumpy back of a starfish. Valentine shivered a little as he imagined how it would feel.

"I think you are just hard on yourself. It was brilliant."

Strangely, he didnt feel like Elliott was aiming for compliments, or reassurance. He could see so much of himself in the other it pained him they hadn’t spoken properly before. It was like when he was at university, and he could stare at his artwork and continue seeing layers and layers of issues, areas to improve.

"Maybe." Elliott agreed gently, head dipping back down, suddenly leaning forward and grasping with his hand, Valentine leaning back as he produced-

"Did you just catch a crab?"

"Cute, isn’t he? ' _Carcinus maenas'_ , European green crab. He's quite small for his kind." Valentine watched with wide eyes as Elliott carefully held the crab between his fingers, laughing as the little green crab started to wave its claws around, trying to catch the pale fingers of his captor.

" _Yoba_ Elliott, he might hurt you!"

"No, they are quite friendly really. Just a little crabby at first." Valentine snorted at the joke, narrowing his eyes a little as Elliott held the crab out.

"I’m not holding it-"

"Oh! Go on, it feels lovely under your fingers, silky soft, here." Elliott shifted closer, using his free hand to adjust Valentines hands, encouraging him to hold a cup shape as he gently placed the crab down in his palms.

"Elliott-"

"See, he likes you. Good taste, I'd say." Elliott soothed, his warm hands supporting Valentines, and he shivered at the touch. Elliott’s palms where smooth, his fingers too. Not at all like his rough skin, not fit for holding. He felt strangely embarrassed, as Elliott watched him with careful eyes. The green of his iris was startling to look at closely, and Valentine found himself dropping his gaze down, his own cheeks feeling prickly.

"You do this often? Pick up crabs and hold them?" He didnt mean for his tone to sound so accusing, and Elliott laughed gently. It sounded like singing.

"When I need to think. I find myself out here more often than I would like these days, I find the air is good for dreaming up ideas." Elliott confessed, soft, like he was worried the sea breeze would carry his words and share then across the town.

"It’s a beautiful place to do so." Valentine agreed, feeling strangely sad as the crab finally managed to crawl from his palms, making the small dive to the sand and scuttering back to the rock pool. Elliott didnt release his hands, instead the other thumbs moved to smooth over his palms, Valentine shivering a little at the touch. If Elliott noticed, he didnt call him out on it.

"You have lovely hands." Elliott stated instead, and Valentine looked up, those strange bright eyes still staring at him.

"Farmers hands, rough. Sorry." He wasnt sure why he apologized, and Elliott shook his head, curious fingers still mapping across his skin. Elliott’s fingers could curl around the entirety of his wrists, and Valentine couldnt place the electric feeling it gave him in his stomach.

"Better than mine, never seen a day of hard work in their life." Elliott teased, though his words sounded so unlike him, Valentine wondered if he was repeating what he had heard from someone else. Elliott’s fingers moved to press the pad of his thumbs against the thin skin of his wrist. Valentine felt exposed, knowing Elliott could feel the way his heart was pounding, wild under his touch, and he squirmed a little at the thought. Suddenly as it happened, Elliot’s hands dropped his, moving to his knees to help push himself up.

"I’m sorry to be a terrible host-" Elliott was holding his hand out, and Valentine took it, surprised by the strength of the other as he was pulled up. "-But Ive been rather struck with inspiration, I’d hate to dismiss it, just to lose sight of it later. You'll forgive me, won’t you?" He asked, voice so earnest that Valentine just nodded.

"I'm glad. Please, come and see me when you like, my home is always open to a friend." Elliott continued over his shoulder, disappearing over the plank leading him to the main beach. Valentine just watched, his skin still hot and tingling from the others touch.

“Bye Elliott!” He couldn’t be certain if his words reached Elliott, the other hadn’t turned to acknowledge them, and the feeling that thought left in his chest made him feel strangely hollow. He looked down, first at his hands, and then down at his bare feet, toes pressed into the sun warm sand. The feeling didn’t annoy him as much as it normally did, and Valentine knelt down to press his fingers into the grains, letting it roll against his palms. It rasped as it passed through his hands, and Valentine felt the same rush of embarrassment as he had before. Maybe he’d pick up some lotion from Harvey, smooth out the scars and dips of his skin. For himself, of course. Valentine sighed, tilting his head out to the ocean, staring for a moment, trying to imagine the kind of things Elliott would think at such a view. Trying to imagine what could have given the other such as rush of inspiration as he held his hands.


End file.
